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November 12, 2011 November 12, 2011

This has been a long, hard week. Ken had daily low dose radiation therapy, met with his urologist and started physical therapy. We were down at the Simon Cancer Center everyday and on Wednesday we were also at the Methodist Hospital Medical Building. Next week will be even worse – low dose radiation every day, high dose radiation on his shoulder and chemo plus a full round of baseline testing to determine what the chemo is doing. He does seem to be making progress and the lower dose of chemo last time also seems to have reduced the fatigue a bit. Last Friday, after radiation, we even made it to Five Guys for burgers and went to Trader Joe’s. That’s our idea of entertainment!

Anyway I haven’t done much painting or drawing but I did struggle through one painting this week. It got too dark, too fast and I almost pitched it but I tried some new techniques and I learned about what I can and can’t do with them. Anyway here’s where I gave up. I reached a point where I thought “One more thing and it will push it over the edge”. When I started trying to recover the painting I began thinking about convergence and the way cells change…I was thinking about flashes of mutation…small nuclear explosions.

Whatever struggles you had with this, I don’t see them. This is by far the painting of this series with the most “depth”. I sat and stared at this one for quite some time and counted five different planes in it. See if you get that, looking at the original, Linda. It has something to do with the range of values, the white left at the top, the sparks at the center and the various midtones throughout. I love this one. I think you just painted all that you and your husband have been through.

Leslie, your insight is right on the money. With this painting I got off to a bad start and did intentionally focus then on the creation of layers and trying to achieve a sort of emergence. I am so glad you saw that.

It doesn’t show that this was a struggle! I can see the “nuclear explosions in the foreground. I also love that I can see shadows of other “cells” in the background. I think it is beautiful and think it’s wonderful that you can channel your emotions into your work. You will have a graphic record of your journey and that is special.